Bangladesh 1993-1994 Demographic and Health ... - Measure DHS

Overall, just over one-quarter (28 percent)of children who have symptoms of ARI aretaken to a health facility for treatment. 4 Childrenof educated mothers are more likely to be takento a health facility than those whose mothers hadless education. Likewise, children in ChittagongDivision who have symptoms of ARI are morelikely to be taken to a health facility, while thosein Khulna Division are less likely to be taken toa health facility.DiarrheaDehydration engendered by severe diarrheais a major cause of morbidity and mortalityamong Bangladeshi children, accounting forsome 30 percent of deaths to children under five(UNICEF, 1991:38). One treatment for dehydrationis oral rehydration therapy (ORT): either asolution prepared from commercially producedpackets of oral rehydration salts (ORS) (which isalso called khabir or packet saline), or a homemadesolution of sugar, salt and water (alsocalled labon gur). Oral rehydration therapy wasdeveloped in Bangladesh over 25 years ago bywhat is now called the lntemational Centre forDiarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh(ICDDR, B). ORS is currently available throughhealth facilities in Bangladesh and is also distributedby the Social Marketing Companythrough a network of pharmacies, small shopsand kiosks.Table 8.9 indicates that 13 percent ofchildren under three years of age were reportedas having had diarrhea in the two weeks prior tothe BDHS interview. Only 3 percent of childrenunder three had bloody diarrhea (a sign ofdysentery) in the two weeks prior to the survey.Table 8.9 Prevalence of diarrheaPercentage of children under three years who had diarrhea anddiarrhea with blood in the two weeks precedmg the survey, byselected background characteristics, Bangladesh 1993-94Diarrhea in thepreceding 2 weeks 1NumberBackground All Diarrhea ofcharactefisfc diarrhea with blood childrenChild's age< 6 months 5.1 0.5 5576-11 months 14.0 1.5 58512-23 months 16.6 4.2 117124-35 months 11.5 3.1 1222SexMale 12.1 2 7 1809Female 13.1 2.9 1726Birth order1 14.0 2.8 8962-3 11.9 2.7 13724-5 1 t .3 3.3 7286+ 13.8 2.4 539ResidenceUrban 10.8 2.3 370Rural 12.8 2.9 3165DivisionBarisal 16.2 3.9 222Chinagong 14.2 3.5 1072Dhaka 9.5 1.5 1073Khulna 14.4 2.7 397Rajshahi 12.6 3.4 771Mother's educationNo education 12. l 3.2 2008Primary incomplete 16.9 2.5 603Primary complete 12.1 2.2 360Secondary/Higher 10.0 2.1 564All children 12.6 2.8 3535Note: Figures are for children born in tile period 1-35 monthsreceding the survey~lncludes diarrhea in the past 24 hoursDiarrhea is more common among children age 6-23 months than among older or younger children;it is especially uncommon among children under six months of age, who are presumably protected bybreastfeeding. Differences in the prevalence of diarrhea according to other background characteristics areminimal.4 Health facilities include: government hospitals, family welfare centers, thana health complexes, satellite clinics,community health workers, private doctors, and private clinics.112